Steam-trap.



L. M. HASTINGS & R. W. LEUTWILER. STEAM TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN l2, 195.

as Q 4 THE COLUMBIA PLANoa APu co., WASHINGTON. D. c.

Patented Feb. 1,1916.

STEAM-Thief. I

ive-aria] .i

of the United States, residing inthe cityof Chicago, countyof Cook, andState-oflllinois, have invented certain new, and useful Improvements inSteam-Traps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in steam traps and moreparticularly to auto-1 niatically. operating valve ,meohanism for vsteam traps, heating systems and the like.

a The salient objects of the invention-are to provide animproved valvemechanism of the characterlreferred to which will permit the Water ofcondensation to pass into the return a pipe but will effectively preventthe passage of steam therein;.to provide a con.-' struction in which theexpansible member for automatically actuating thevalve' 1s p04 sitionedwhere thewater of condensation must pass over it before discharging intothe steampipe; to'so arrange-the parts that the forceofgravityisemployed for-pulling thecondensation water toward: theeXpansie ble member 'rather ethan away fromzitg, to provide aconstructionin which the steam trapis divided into upperand lowercompartments, theupper' of which serves; as an expansion chamber anddischarges downwardly through a relatively smallopening directlyion tothe valve mechanism; to proas I into the return pipe unless firstdirectly con-- 1 parts as hereinafter set forth.

5O a vertical'cross section through the trap.

vide a construction which 'can'be employed tacting with the diaphragmcontainingthe expansible fluid; and in general 'to provide 7 a simpleand eflicient automaticallyqcom' trolled steam'trap which can beeconomically manufactured and conveniently assembled; a and in which thevarious parts; are readily accessiblein case it is necessary toadjust or1 p I I member 20is securedtoithe casing by screw-I repairany part.

features of construction and combinations of In the'drawingsFigure i1 isa topplan view of a steam trap embodying our invention, the cover beingremoved; andFig 2 is Referring in detailto the particular em bodiment ofour invention illustrated in the drawings, 1 designates the. main-casingofv the steam trap which is provided atitslower" end with an outletnipple'2, adapted to re Application filetii'anuary 12, 1915. Serial No.j'zaf mouth of this inl'et'is formedin'the shape of :atapered seat 5'against which the inner end 6 of the inlet pipe 7.is sea-ted by means ofa i look nut 8.- Near its centralportion the trap:

is provided witha tapered "seat 9, a'g ainst whichseats the-edgeportions 10 0f a dia- IWH D J TAT S GEM-CE;

' nYnEwoon iriisfmes AuDiIii cnaiin r spflciiieation 0f LettersIatentf aCave as threaded sa -5 ma ipe; 3. 1 a

' Upon the opposite side ofthetrap and near v itsupperedge, an inlet hisprovided; The" a phragm- 11, and extendin'giupwardly' from i 1 towardthe opening 117.;

wall. 19.0f an e x'pansible'jmer'nber 20. The

' thediaphragm .10 is a spider l'2-whichter1ni; *nates at itscentralportion in ajseat 13.,QThis I fseatfis employed as'abearingportion against. a which the inner end 14:of a set screw 15 I presses;the set-screw being "adjustably car'- ried by: the: cover 16 and theconstruction being such t-liat-by,tightening down theset screw'cthe edgeportions10 ofthe; diaphragm 11 are forced into fa -tight seal. with theseat 9. -At its central portion the diaphragm 11 p is provided with 'adischarge opening 17,;

the diaphragmjbeing preferably-concave so" that thewater of l'condensation ,willfdrain v Justbe'n'eaththe diaphragm opening 17ispositionedj'a'valve 18 carried'by the upper seat 23 in the lowerwall ofthe casingl. l

Between thewalls 19Land21 thememberQO g .j

is provided withanexpansible fluid 24, this 'fluidbeingsuficientlysensitive .tovheat so I A that the water of, condensationnormally f passing through the opening 17 ito'ward' -the return pipe 3will notexpand itv sufficiently i to close the valve 18, butif-steamstarts to pass throughthe opening 17; the increased.-

temperature will cause the fluid to expand su'fliciently to "raise theupper wall of'the expansiblememberw andmove the valve-18 againstitsseat2,5,. g

In assembling "theftr-aplthe eX p ansible H ingthreaded stud 22 into thethreaded seat a 23. The diaphragm 11;is then placed in [positionwith its*mar'ginal portions 10 'engag-f ing these'at 9, jarid after screwing thecover '16 onto "the casing the diaphragm is" locked I in position byt-urningytheset screw 15. until its inner endtightly presses against theseat I .13.- In'o'rder. to prevent the escape'of steam v aroun'dithe setscrew 'iwe preferably provide v .110

a QQP Which fits overIthe upperen saidxsrewp v p} In using: thej trap inheating systems the vacuum type the inlet isconnected to the dischargefrom the radiator and the outlet 2 connected to the return pipe. Thedischarge from the radiatortliere'fore passes first into the portion ofthe trap above .the diaphragm 1, this diaphragm in reality dividing oilan upper chamber. From here the water of condensation can only pass intothe lower portion of the casing through the outlet 17. As it passesthrough this opening it strikes the curved surface of the valve lb andis deflected downwardly onto all'portions of the diaphragm, and from thediaphragm drips oil on to the lower part of the casing and passes intoreturn pipe. If, however, the steam should not be all condensed-in theupper portion of the casing, it will in passing out through the opening17 be forced to-directly contact pansible member, and this effectivelyguards against steam being sucked into the return pipe without actuatingthe valve governing means. it is obvious from the above description thatthe .expansible member is not.

only positioned directly in the path of the water of condensation but isso arranged relative to the dischargeopening that the force of gravityis utilized for drawing the heated products directly on to the diaphragm rather than a'way from it.

While weliave shown and described an embodiment of our invention inwhich the inlet and outlet are botn adapted for connection Withl1OIFIZOI1tZil'PIpGS, it is obvious that either might be vertical andthat various ing an inlet and an outlet, said casing hav- 1 ing a seatformed on its inner face between said inlet and outlet, a diaphragmhaving an opening therein disposed aga nst the seat to divide the easinginto compartments,a thermostatically actuated valve for-cooperation'with the opening inthe diaphragm to control communication between thecompartments, and adjustable means carried'by the casing to hold thediapl'iragm tightly engaged against the seat.

2. The combination with a casing having a seat formed centrally therein,said casing being open at its'upper end, a diaphragm .Copies of thispatent my be obtained for threaded opening therein, and

engaged against the seat to divide the easing into anupper compartmentand a lower compartment, said casing having an inlet communicating withthe upper com 'iartment and an outlet communicating with the lowercompartment, the diaphragm being "formed with a central opening toestablish communication between said compartments, a cover to close theupper end of said casing, means carried by the cover to hold thediaphragm tightly engaged against the seat, a valve disposed in thelower compartment to control communication between the compartments ofthe casing, and an expansible member for automatically actuatingsaidvalve upon predetermined change in temperature with in the casing.

3. The combination'with a casing ha 'ing an open upper end and a centralseat formed therein,,a diaphragm having a central opening-thereinarrangedagainst valve seat to divide the easing into an uppercompartment and a lower compartment, a valve arranged Within the lowercompartment and adapted to coact with the opening in the diaphragm tocontrol communication between the compartments of the casing, anexpansible' men'iber for automatically actuating said valve uponpredetermined change in temperature, a cover adapted to detacliablyclose the open end of the casing, and adjustable means carried' by thecover to tightly hold the diaphragm in engagement against the seat.

i. The combination with a casing having an open'end and a central seatformed therein, a diaphragm arranged within said casing and having acentral opening therein, said diaphragm dividing the easing into twocompartments, a valve arranged in one of said compartments to coact withthe opening in said diaphragm for-controlling conijmunication betweenthe compartments, an

expansible member for automatically actuating said valve uponpredetermined change in temperature, a spiderformed on said diaphragmand extending into the other compartment, a cover for closing the openend of the casing, said cover having a centrally mounted in theth'readedopening for engagement against the spider whereby to maintainthe diaphragm in engagement against the seat.

I Witnesses:

doves M. Lora, C. B. BELKN'AP.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or" Eatents, Washington,D. C.

a screw

